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Our basic need for rites and myths : –The functions of ritualization and narration for live acting role-players

This is a master thesis in the discipline of psychology of religion, with a focus on the psychological and psychosocial functions of rites/ritualization and myths/narration in our lives. The main aim was to investigate adolescent male live acting role-players rites/ritualization and myths/narration, generally in their personal life and specifically in the world of the role-playing phenomenon, to see how they used the rites/ritualization and myths/narration in the role-playing world to create and maintain their sense of coherence and meaning in life. Theoretically were Erikson’s theories about ritualization, Stern’s theories about narration and Antonovsky’s theories about our sense of coherence (SOC) and general resistance resources (GRRs) used. The results point to that the six male informants, anyway when it comes to worldviews, ideologies and religions, lacked significant ritualization and narration outside the role-playing world, and that the role-playing interest in some ways could be a response by the informants to the lack of coherent and significant ritualization and narration in the family as well as in the Swedish society. In the world of role-playing was it specifically significant ritualization and narration that were related to having a place geographically-historically in a (age-)hierarchical network that seemed to be positively correlated with the informants sense of coherence and meaning in life. However, an important aspect was also that they could enter different episodic narratives together in game where they were able to express and explore personality traits and feelings they could not normally express or explore. This outlet seemed also to be used to unconsciously communicate and come to terms with intra- and interpsychical conflicts as well as existential questions. This scientific paper is a partial requirement of the European Union (EU) Diploma Program in Psychology of Religion. This paper has been administered through the Nordic Profile Program: Meaning-making, Culture, and Health, at Uppsala University, Sweden. Included in this program is the granting of a Masters Degree in Meaning-making, Culture, and Health through Uppsala University. The Diploma Program is a first research level program that can be integrated into doctoral or other advanced study programs in Europe and internationally.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-466614
Date January 2005
CreatorsLloyd, Christina
PublisherUppsala universitet, Teologiska institutionen, Uppsala universitet, Centrum för forskning om religion och samhälle (CRS)
Source SetsDiVA Archive at Upsalla University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeStudent thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text
Formatapplication/pdf
Rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

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